Survival of the Fittest – How to Come out on Top in the Dog-eat-dog World of E-commerce

The e-commerce world can be a tough place to navigate, especially when you’re a small business. Now more than ever, small to mid-sized online retailers must figure out how to adapt and evolve in order to keep up with the bigger retail giants.

For instance, giant marketplaces like Amazon and eBay are setting the bar high with offers of same- and next-day delivery options and easy tracking. Customers have come to expect this level of service and instant gratification.

However, being small doesn’t necessarily mean getting left behind. Here are a few strategies to help your small e-commerce business stay nimble and ahead of the competition:

Automate your shipping

Investing in a robust shipping software solution will be your saving grace in managing the shipment process end-to-end. In addition to alleviating the massive headache that comes with manual shipping, a great shipping tool will help you print shipping labels, track shipments, create return labels, give you insurance options and take care of anything else you’d need to give your shipments that professional polish.

Build out a well-defined return policy

A solid return policy inspires confidence in your buyers and affirms your commitment to excellent customer service. Make sure your policy clearly spells out which items are non-returnable, the time limit for returns as well as any other restrictions. It also helps to be flexible and streamlined with your return policy. For example, you can proactively offer a return shipping label with every order sent out.

Expand internationally

Don’t be afraid to sell to international markets. After all, overseas buyers are typically willing to pay more for U.S. products. And if the idea of international shipping is still a tad overwhelming, try starting out with English-speaking countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom before moving on to other markets.

The Endicia Blog

Thanks for visiting The Savvy Shipper!

If you’re an eBay, Amazon, or Etsy seller, warehouse shipper, or an e-tailer of any sort, then you’ve come to the right place.

We created this blog to help businesses like yours learn the ins and outs of online shipping, catch and capitalize on the latest ecommerce trends, streamline and automate your services, and expand internationally.

Our contributors are some of the most passionate, quirky, knowledgeable individuals you are likely to ever meet. Endicia co-founders, Harry Whitehouse and Amine Khechfé, for instance, firmly believe that there’s nothing more thrilling than tackling the challenges of ecommerce. As pioneers of online shipping, they always have a good story or tip to keep your business humming along.

And if you’re a small to mid-sized business, we’ve certainly got you covered. Our resident experts, Ramon Ray and Rieva Lesonsky, are two of the most influential thought leaders in this space and are committed to helping you succeed.

We hope to INSPIRE you with stories of success, EDUCATE you on the best shipping tips and – last, but certainly not least – ENTERTAIN you!

So, go ahead – take a look around. We hope you keep coming back for more.

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Looking for ways to go global with your small business? Our co-founder Amine Khechfé shares five strategies with Entrepreneur. ow.ly/pF9H30aFx18

Certified Mail, a special service offered by the U.S. Postal Service, provides proof of delivery or attempted delivery for First Class Mail and Priority Mail services. Learn more here: ow.ly/5QGy309RZaR

If you are trying to build customer engagement, generate more word-of-mouth referrals, and increase conversions, it’s time to start using customer-generated content. Here are just four ways you can begin using customer-generated content to market your online store: ow.ly/Zc8C309G3M7

If you’re serious about growing your business in 2017, now is the perfect time to give your e-commerce website an SEO audit. ow.ly/jkWd308CPzB

A quick video guide on how to set your mail class and printer preferences. Be able to set preferences on the postage you print the most frequently and set preferences on the printer used for the Postage Stamps, Shipping Labels, and Certified Mail tabs. https://www.dymostamps.com/

When Harry Met Amine

Endicia co-founders Harry Whitehouse and Amine Khechfe discuss how they first met and became business partners.

The BEST holiday shipping bootcamp!

Merry Shipping!

The Endicia Story

Co-founders Harry Whitehouse and Amine Khechfe talk about how they started Endicia and the secret to their success.